Bridle-rod for railroad-rails.



No. 78,464. Patented Nov. ll, I902.

W. E. COPELAND &. M. M. MASSEY.

BRIDLE ROD FOR RAILROAD RAILS.

(Application filed Apr. 18, 1902.)

(No Model.)

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WILLIS E. COPELAND AND MADISON M. MASSEY, ALAMOGORDO, TERRITORY OF NEYV MEXICO.

BRiDLE-ROD FOR RAlLROAD-RAILS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 713,404, dated November 11, 1902.

Application filed April 18, 1902.

To all whom, it petty concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIs E. COPELAND and MADISON M. MASSEY, citizens of the United States, and residents of Alamogordo, in the county of Otero and Territory of New Mexico, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Bridle- Rods for Railroad- Rails, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improvement in bridlerods for railroad-rails, and is specially designed for use in connection with track-laying machines when the tracks are laid down in front by the track-layer and the train moves ahead and the spikers follow, the train hands removing the rods, which are then carried ahead and again used; and the invention consists in certain novel constructions and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of our invention as in use. Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view thereof.

In track-laying it is desirable to provide a bridle-rod which can be quickly applied, will be efficient in use, and can be readily removed. XVe secure these results by means of the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, in which the rod A is provided at its opposite ends with the clasps A, which overlie the outer edges of the rail-bases, as shown, while the inner edges of the rail-bases are held by the pivoted latches B, in the form of short bars pivoted at B between their ends, provided at their outer ends with portions B to overlie and secure the inner edges of the railbases, and preferably provided with fastening means, which may consist of bolts C, securing the inner ends of the latches B, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so the latches cannot turn from the full-line position, Fig. 1, to the dotted-line position, Fig. 1, without releasing the fastenings C. This construction may be preferred when it is desired to leave bridlerods on the latches for any considerable length of time, as when they are used on a dump-car line for excavation-work. It will be noticed that by the described construction when the fastening C is removed the latch can be adjusted to the dotted-line position,

Serial No. 103,517. (No model.)

omy in using the improved bar while laying track with an iron car as with a machine, while they are adapted to all kinds of tracklaying. I

It will be understood that our invention is especially designed for a temporary bridlerail for construction-work, and to such end the portion of the rod underlying and immediately adjacent to the pivoted latches are fiat or unshouldered and arranged so the said latches can be readily swung into and out of position to hold the rail. In this connection it may be stated that in temporary construction-work it is only necessary to hold the rail in gage long enough for the train to move once over the rail, and it is desirable to supply a simple construction which can be readily adjusted to position to hold the rail as desired. This is conveniently secured by the said construction shown and above described.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A bridle-rod for railway-rails having at its ends integral returned clasps for securing the outer wings of the rail-bases, the latches pivoted between their ends to the rod by vertical pivots and swinging horizontally and provided at their outer ends with the clasps for securing the inner wings of the rail-bases, and bolts for securing the opposite ends of the latches to the rod substantially as set forth.

WILLIS E. COPELAND. MADISON M. MASSEY. Witnesses:

HARRIET VAN PETTEN, ULIE G. SMITH. 

